Didier Deschamps has explained why Real Madrid superstar Kylian Mbappe has been left out of the France squad for the upcoming Nations League ties.

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Mbappe not called up by DeschampsWill recover from a thigh injury back at ValdebebasWas rushed into UCL action by Carlo AncelottiFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Mbappe’s absence from the France squad comes as a surprise to many, particularly because he featured in Real Madrid’s Champions League loss to Lille on Wednesday. However, the forward has only just returned from a thigh injury, which caused him to miss crucial fixtures, including last weekend’s Madrid derby.

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With La Liga set for a two-week international break following this weekend's fixtures, Mbappe will remain in Madrid, where he will continue his rehabilitation at the club's Valdebebas training facility. This extended period of rest and recovery is expected to help Mbappe regain peak condition without the added pressure of international duties.

WHAT DESCHAMPS SAID

"I spoke with Kylian about the situation, which is still uncertain after coming on as a substitute on Wednesday. He has a match on Saturday and there are questions," Deschamps told reporters explaining his decision to leave out Mbappe.

"He has a problem which is not serious but he needs treatment to recover properly. I am not here to take risks. That is why Kylian is not here."

Deschamps further acknowledged that while Mbappe had played in September’s games, he wasn’t in his best mental or physical condition at the time.

"I have no doubt about Kylian's commitment but he was not in the best condition during the last gathering," the head coach added.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR MBAPPE & FRANCE?

Deschamps has called up a fresh wave of talent, including Christopher Nkunku, Michael Olise, and Bradley Barcola for the next two games. Les Bleus will take on Israel in Budapest before travelling to Brussels to face Belgium on October 14. Meanwhile, it remains to be seen if Mbappe is called up by Carlo Ancelotti for Los Blancos' next fixture against Villarreal at Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday evening.

Glasgow Rangers must undergo yet another summer rebuilding project under a new manager, which will mark the third summer in as many years that this has occurred, following Giovanni Van Bronckhorst in 2022, Michael Beale in 2023 and now Philippe Clement this year.

Can the Belgian actually bring in players who will contribute effectively next season? Or will he follow in the footsteps of his predecessors and splash money on a host of signings who fail to really catch the eye, repeating the cycle.

The 50-year-old tactician certainly has credit in the bank, and this could be further boosted should the Light Blues defeat Celtic in the Scottish Cup final next Saturday. Question marks remain, however, over the senior leadership at the club and whether the likes of James Tavernier and Connor Goldson could be sold, especially amid speculation from Saudi Arabia recently.

There is no doubt Clement must raise funds somewhere if he has any ambitions of strengthening his first team squad this summer, yet it looks unlikely that both Tavernier and Goldson would depart at the same time.

Could one of Beale’s signings perhaps be flogged during the window in order to fund a summer rebuild? Especially as one is currently shining out on loan for FC Utrecht – Sam Lammers.

Sam Lammers’ Rangers statistics

After seeing players such as Alfredo Morelos and Ryan Kent depart Ibrox last summer, it was evident that Beale needed to instantly improve the club’s attacking options.

This led to him making Lammers one of his main transfer targets during the early stages of the window. Beale ended up spending around £3m on the Dutchman to lure him from Serie A side Atalanta to the bright lights of Glasgow.

While predominantly a centre-forward, his lack of goals since the start of the 2020/21 campaign should really have been a warning sign for Beale, as he scored just six times across the three full seasons prior to 2023/24.

Beale preferred to use his technical skills to good use, however, utilising the player as a number ten. This would ease the pressure on him to score, while hopefully giving Lammers the licence to bring others into play and create plenty of chances.

The experiment did not go well at all. The Dutchman managed just two goals in 31 appearances for the Light Blues while failing to carve much in the way of opportunities for his teammates during games.

Lammers played 17 times in the Premiership and averaged 0.3 key passes per game along with creating just one big chance. Hardly the numbers of a player who was expected to be one of the main creative talents in the starting XI.

Metric

Eredivisie

Premiership

Goals

9

2

Assists

3

1

Key passes per game

1

0.3

Shots on target per game

1.5

0.9

Big chances created

5

1

It was clear he wasn’t able to properly express himself under Beale’s tactics, and despite things improving at the club when Clement took over in mid-October, Lammers still found it tricky to adapt to Scottish football.

This doesn’t make someone a bad player, far from that, as Lammers has truly shown his full potential while out on loan at Utrecht.

Sam Lammers is shining in the Eredivisie

In January, Clement moved the 27-year-old to the Dutch side in order for him to focus on getting his confidence back and to start scoring regularly.

Not only has it worked, but Lammers has arguably been one of the finest performers during the second half of the Dutch top-flight season.

The former Eintracht Frankfurt forward has featured in just 17 Eredivisie games for the club yet has found the back of the net on nine occasions, while also grabbing three assists too.

Sensational numbers and it clearly proves that one bad spell at a club simply doesn’t mean someone is a busted flush.

Despite joining midway through the season, Lammers currently ranks first among his teammates for goals and assists in the top flight (12), while also ranking first for shots on target per game (1.5) and third for scoring frequency (a goal every 169 minutes), showcasing just how important a signing he has been for the Dutch side.

This impressive form will be a big plus for Clement. Not because he will be looking to use him at Rangers next year, but simply due to the fact that it could drive up his value and give the Belgian a licence to sell him this summer.

Why Sam Lammers must be sold

According to Football Transfers, the 27-year-old is currently worth €6.9m (£5.9m), which is nearly double what the Light Blues paid for him less than a year ago.

It is clear his loan spell is working wonders for his valuation, which means Clement will be able to make a stunning profit on Lammers – with reports indicating that the club are keen to accept a permanent offer for the player this summer.

Indeed, his current market valuation is nearly double that of Todd Cantwell, who essentially took over from the Dutchman as the main attacking threat in the number ten role under Clement.

Cantwell has scored seven times while registering seven assists throughout the 2023/24 campaign, emerging as a key player under the leadership of the former Club Brugge manager.

However, his current market valuation according to Football Transfers is €4.1m (£3.5m), which is just under double what Lammers is currently worth.

Rangers left to regret signing Beale flop who rinsed the club of £3.5m

A Michael Beale signing has rinsed the Light Blues dry

ByRoss Kilvington Apr 20, 2024

Cantwell can at times be inconsistent, failing to really go on a hot streak of form that the Dutchman embarked on during his loan spell, but with another pre-season under his belt this summer, Clement will be hoping he can be a star player for the Gers next term.

If the Light Blues can somehow sell Lammers for around £5m, then it would mark a stunning turnaround for a player who was written off during his brief six-month spell in Glasgow.

His loan spell allowed the centre-forward to regain his confidence and prove that he is, in fact, a wonderful player when operating in his comfort zone.

The club needs a major rebuild this summer if the status quo of Scottish football is to change and selling Lammers is one way of funding it.

Having played a practice match in the UAE, the Kings XI quick feels players are regaining their rhythm

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Sep-2020After months of Covid-19 enforced inactivity, India’s players are set to return to action in IPL 2020 which will be played in the UAE from September 19 to November 10. Mohammed Shami, the Kings XI Punjab and India fast bowler, believes that the IPL will tune up India’s players for the Australia tour which will follow the league.”It would be great that the Australia-bound players are playing IPL,” Shami told PTI. “It will set the body and momentum perfectly by then.”As per the revised schedule, India’s tour is set to begin in Adelaide and Brisbane. On India’s previous tour down under in 2018-19, Shami had played his part in the side’s 2-1 victory in the four-match Test series. India became the first Asian team to win a Test series in Australia, but they did so against a depleted home side that was without Steven Smith and David Warner, who were serving their ball-tampering ban. The pair has been successfully reintegrated into the Australian set-up since and is set to face India later this year.”I feel it’s better that we are playing the IPL before a big series,” Shami said. “Apart from the IPL, everyone is also focused on that [Australia] tour. There is a lot of talk about that series. We will have a good contest.”With just three venues – Dubai, Sharjah, and Abu Dhabi – hosting this IPL, travel might not be as hectic as it would’ve been had the tournament happened in India.”Yes, there’re [usually] back-to-back matches, training, travelling, that’s a bit of headache,” Shami said. “But it’s a short format, short matches, physically there should not be any workload issue. This time, there won’t be much travelling. You will have to travel just about for two hours by bus [when there is a match in Abu Dhabi].”Having trained and played a practice match in the UAE on Thursday, Shami said the players are regaining their rhythm. “It has been a long time since we played cricket,” he said. “Everyone is happy like kids in a candy store after getting back to the sport they love the most. We had a practice match on Thursday, I didn’t face any issues. Everyone is getting back to rhythm. I didn’t feel much difference [as I was bowling at my farmhouse].”Shami was also looking forward to working with the Kings XI’s new head coach Anil Kumble. “I’ve a great bonding with him,” he said. “It’s very important to have a good bonding with the coach, you can explain things clearly and it’s all about having a clear understanding.”

Manchester City have reportedly been in contact to sign a £50m star for Pep Guardiola ahead of Vincent Kompany and Bayern Munich this summer.

Final season for Pep Guardiola at Man City?

After another Premier League triumph last season, making it a historic fourth title in a row, Guardiola could be preparing for his final season at the Etihad Stadium.

There has been plenty of speculation regarding the 2024/25 campaign being the Spaniard’s final year in Manchester, and it looks as if despite this, he and the club are still planning for the long run when it comes to signings.

For example, City have recently been credited with an interest in attacking prodigy Dzenan Pejcinovic from Wolfsburg, with the teenager scoring every 55 minutes at academy level.

Some senior incomings could also be made for the Sky Blues, with FC Porto goalkeeper Diogo Costa linked with a move to potentially replace Ederson and rival Stefan Ortega, who has signed a City contract extension.

Manchester City ready to sell £130,000 per week ace who only joined in 2023

They might struggle to find a buyer though.

ByBen Browning Jun 13, 2024

There have also been rumours about Dani Olmo from RB Leipzig. Recent claims said that City had started to move for the attacking midfielder, and it looks as if that has now materialised, with information being collected.

Man City make Dani Olmo contact

According to French outlet Sports Zone, Man City are one of three clubs who have been in contact over a potential move to sign Olmo. The Spaniard, who is set to feature at Euro 2024, is also wanted by Paris Saint-Germain and former City captain Kompany at Bayern Munich.

“Manchester City, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain are following the Dani Olmo file this summer. The player, who has a €60M (£50M) clause this summer, interests Luis Enrique. Initial information has been taken by the 3 clubs.”

Olmo has been with RB Leipzig since 2020 and has gone from strength to strength during that time, now being valued at a career-high €50m by Transfermarkt.

Dani Olmo's career stats

Appearances

Goals

Assists

RB Leipzig

148

29

34

Dinamo Zagreb

124

34

28

Spain

33

8

7

The attacking midfielder, who can also turn out as a winger if needed, also caught the eye of Guardiola back in 2019, with the City boss calling the Spaniard a “top player” and “incredible”.

"He's a top player – he has a bright future, of course. His performance today shows it. About the transfer and the money he deserves, that is not the point. The point is he is an incredible player and I am pretty sure he is able to play in the strong leagues in Europe. Hopefully if Dinamo wants and he wants, it can happen."

Kevin de Bruyne recently hinted at a move to the Saudi Pro League in the future, so who knows, City may view Olmo as a player who could replace the Belgian in the long run.

Paris Saint-Germain boss Luis Enrique gave a gruesome assessment of his former team Barcelona when they met in last season's Champions League.

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• PSG boss criticised Barca ahead of UCL tie
• Coach featured in documentary series
• Accused Spanish side of playing like Eibar

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  After Barcelona beat the French side 3-2 in the quarter-final first leg, the Parisian club pulled off an incredible comeback as they ran out 4-1 winners in the return fixture. Before the tie, the PSG coach gave his assessment of the Catalans.

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  The 54-year-old has deep ties to the Blaugrana, having spent eight years there as a player and then taking over as head coach in 2014 until 2017. However, that did not stop him from going in hard on his old team, then coached by legendary midfielder Xavi.

• WHAT LUIS ENRIQUE SAID

  “Barca are not a dominant team and they are not a defensively good team," he said in a new documentary series titled . "They have no defensive quality. They play long balls. [Marc-Andre] Ter Stegen broke the record for long passes. They play like Eibar."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR PSG AND BARCELONA?

  Barcelona are off to a strong start this season under new boss Hansi Flick and will aim to preserve their lead at the top of La Liga when they face Osasuna on Saturday. PSG, meanwhile, take on Rennes on Friday in Ligue 1.

Initial talks have been held as Bayern Munich now consider signing a £68 million Chelsea player, coming after they were linked with another member of Enzo Maresca's squad very recently.

Players who Chelsea could sell this summer

Todd Boehly and the Stamford Bridge board are set for a busy summer window of both incomings and outgoings, coming as they look to usher in Maresca's new era as Chelsea head coach.

Related Ange beaten as Chelsea win race for second starlet signing after £60m man

Tottenham and Atletico were both interested.

Posts ByEmilio Galantini Jun 11, 2024

Tosin Adarabioyo is already joining Chelsea on a free transfer from Fulham, and that's before the window has even opened. The west Londoners could apparently add another centre-back to Maresca's ranks after Tosin, as well as a new striker (Fabrizio Romano), but certain players will need to leave and make room for these potential new arrivals.

Kepa Arrizabalaga, Romelu Lukaku, Armando Broja, Conor Gallagher, Trevoh Chalobah, Malang Sarr and even Raheem Sterling are just some of the players who Chelsea could look to sell when the transfer window reopens on June 14, and it is believed Ian Maatsen is among the Chelsea crop looking very likely to depart as well.

Chelsea's best-performing players in the league last season

Average match rating (WhoScored)

Cole Palmer

7.48

Conor Gallagher

7.13

Nicolas Jackson

7.07

Moises Caicedo

6.85

Noni Madueke

6.84

The Dutchman, who starred under Edin Terzic on Borussia Dortmund's run to the Champions League final last term, has a £35 million release clause in his contract and Dortmund are believed to be keen on signing him permanently. Indeed, it is also apparently the case that Bayern are considering a move for Maatsen, with the two Bundesliga sides considering whether to bring Maatsen to Germany indefinitely.

The 22-year-old, though, isn't the only Chelsea player who Vincent Kompany and co have their eyes on Stamford Bridge. Versatile first-teamer Levi Colwill, who the west Londoners valued at around £68 million to ward off suitors last year, is now also attracting their interest.

Initial talks held as Bayern consider signing Colwill

Bayern are currently chasing Bayer Leverkusen ace Jonathan Tah as a centre-back option, but according to Sky Germany journalist Florian Plettenberg, Kompany's side have Colwill on their agenda as an alternative – and it isn't entirely ruled out that they will try and sign both men

Initial talks have apparently been held as Bayern seriously consider signing Colwill, with Plettenberg sharing news on X this week.

The Englishman started 20 league games for Chelsea under Mauricio Pochettino last season and chipped in with some excellent performances. PSG have also registered an interest in Colwill, according to some reports, so it will be interesting to see if Maresca entertains the thought of letting him head to Europe.

Arsenal sporting director Edu is personally pushing for the club to sign a £70 million player, with the help of his close advisor and chief scout Paulo Xavier.

Edu identifies Arsenal targets for summer transfer window

The Brazilian, who works in tandem with manager Mikel Arteta, has long identified their possible signings for this looming summer window – which is set to open on June 14, the same day Euro 2024 kicks off.

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He was “on fire” last season.

ByEmilio Galantini Jun 12, 2024

Friday is set to be a very significant day in the footballing calendar as a result, and it's a date which Edu has firmly had in mind since January.

The transfer chief admitted to TNT Sports that he's been working on Arsenal's summer plans for that length of time, and also claimed in a later interview with Estadao (via football.london) that he often works his way through 180-page reports on potential targets.

"You can’t sign players for the sake of signing," said Edu.

Bukayo Saka

7.67

Declan Rice

7.38

Martin Odegaard

7.37

Kai Havertz

7.16

Gabriel Magalhaes

6.99

"This has to be a process that takes weeks and weeks. There on my desk, I have reports with more than 180 pages on a player.

"It’s really detailed stuff. Physical, technical, mental profile, if you have Premier League experience, if you will be able to adapt. It has everything. We analyse our weaknesses, where we can improve, where we can invest and then we go in search of that new name. What I am going to do now, we have been discussing since January. It’s not my decision or Mikel’s alone. It belongs to a whole group."

A significant member of Edu's recruitment staff is Xavier, who formerly worked at Real Madrid. He joined Arsenal last year, arriving in north London with a glowing reputation, and has already recommended some interesting players.

Xavier is one of Edu's closest advisors at Arsenal, and even told the club to make a potential move for young Brazil full-back Yan Couto following an excellent campaign at Girona. Now, it appears both Edu and Xavier have another Brazilian on their radar, in the form of Nottingham Forest defender Murillo.

Edu pushing to sign Murillo for Arsenal

That is according to Football Transfers, who claim Edu is pushing to sign Murillo for Arsenal, with the 21-year-old thought to be on Xavier's radar for a long time. That bodes well for the Gunners, considering Real's ex-scout was responsible for bringing in the likes of Vinicius Jr and Endrick to the Bernabeu.

Murillo, who could cost as much as £70 million to prise away from the City Ground, was a key player under both Steve Cooper and Nuno Espirito Santo last season – starting 32 Premier League games and helping to steer Forest away from the drop zone.

"You can just see the quality that he possesses. He’s going to be a real fan favourite," said Sky pundit Jamie Redknapp.

“He possesses a lot of weapons in his armoury – he’s got a lovely left foot which I think gives you a massive advantage."

يترقب عشاق كرة القدم العربية والآسيوية بشكل خاص، انطلاق مباريات بطولة كأس الخليج 2024 «خليجي 26»، التي ستقام في دولة الكويت في الفترة القادمة.

ويشارك في بطولة كأس الخليج، 8 منتخبات وهم: “السعودية والعراق وقطر والإمارات وعمان والكويت والبحرين واليمن”، مقسمين على مجموعتين، كل أربعة منتخبات في مجموعة.

وتضم المجموعة الأولى كل من (الكويت وعمان وقطر والإمارت) بينما يتواجد في المجموعة الثانية (البحرين والعراق والسعودية واليمن).

وتنتظر الجماهير العربية، معرفة القنوات الناقلة لمباريات كأس الخليج 2024 «خليجي 26»، من أجل متابعة منتخبات بلادها المشاركة في المسابقة.

جدول مباريات كأس الخليج 2024 «خليجي 26» 

وكان منتخب العراق، هو صاحب النسخة الأخيرة من بطولة كأس الخليج (خليجي 25)، عندما فاز على عمان في المباراة النهائية بثلاثة أهداف مقابل هدفين.

ويعد منتخب الكويت هو صاحب الرقم القياسي الفائز بطولة كأس الخليج العربي، حيث حقق اللقب 10 مرات. موعد بطولة كأس الخليج 2024 «خليجي 26»

ومن المقرر أن تنطلق بطولة كأس الخليج، غدًا السبت 21 ديسمبر 2024 وحتى 3 يناير 2025 في دولة الكويت.

طالع | مجموعات كأس الخليج 2024 «خليجي 26»

وستكون المباراة الافتتاحية لبطولة كأس الخليج 2024 «خليجي 26»، بين منتخبي الكويت وعمان، السبت 21 ديسمبر، ستنطلق في تمام الساعة 7 مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة، 8 بتوقيت السعودية. القنوات الناقلة لكأس الخليج 2024 «خليجي 26»

قناة SSC السعودية.

قناة الكأس القطرية.

الكويت الرياضية.

الرياضية العراقية.

البحرين الرياضية.

أبوظبي الرياضية.

عمان الرياضية.

دبي الرياضية. 

MatériaMais Notícias

Apesar da melhora depois de ter sofrido o gol na etapa complementar, o Athletico saiu derrotado pelo Corinthians por 1 a 0 no último domingo (22). Resultado negativo esse que, pelo retrospecto recente nos últimos anos, é mais comum do que se possa imaginar.

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>Aplicativo de resultados do LANCE! está disponível na versão iOS

Nas últimas cinco temporadas onde o Furacão atuou sendo mandante contra o clube paulista, todas elas pelo Campeonato Brasileiro e já contando com o embate de ontem, o saldo foi de quatro derrotas e apenas um triunfo, no ano de 2018.

Quando se observa o retrospecto histórico do Athletico atuando em casa contra o Corinthians, a situação se mostra ainda mais latente. Foram 30 compromissos jogados com nove vitórias do rubro-negro, nove empates e 12 derrotas.

Para o técnico português António Oliveira, o fato da equipe ter passado por um duro confronto com a LDU na semana passada onde conseguiu no sofrimento uma vaga na semi da Sul-Americana teve impacto direto na questão física e emocional:

-É diferente estarmos em todas as competições e jogar de 72 em 72 horas, às vezes menos. E jogar contra uma equipe com semana cheia. Temos que rapidamente reverter a situação e terminar esse ciclo ruim que estamos passando no Brasileiro.Sob o ponto de vista mental e emocional, foi muito desgastante (jogo contra a LDU). É natural que a intensidade não seja a mesma.

Antes de pensar em se recuperar no Brasileirão, o Athletico terá de se concentrar nas quartas de final da Copa do Brasil. O adversário será o Santos com a abertura da série ocorrendo na próxima quarta-feira (25), às 19h (de Brasília), na Arena da Baixada.

Drama at Lord’s as Tom Helm’s brilliant final over rescues point for Middlesex

ECB Reporters Network29-Aug-2020

John Simpson missed a run-out chance off the final ball as Kent scampered through•Alex Davidson/Getty Images

An extraordinary final over from Tom Helm enabled Middlesex to salvage a tie as the points were shared in their thrilling Vitality Blast tie against Kent.Chasing 210, the Spitfires seemed on course for their first victory of the tournament after captain Daniel Bell-Drummond blazed 72 from 32 balls, sharing a blistering opening stand of 89 in just under seven overs with Zak Crawley.But Helm – who had looked ragged after conceding 40 and a string of wides from his first three overs – restricted Kent to just five runs at the death, bowling Grant Stewart before Jack Leaning scampered a bye from the last ball to level the scores at 209 for 5.Earlier, Middlesex’s Stevie Eskinazi had registered his best T20 score, hitting 84 from 52 balls and adding 111 for the third wicket with Nick Gubbins (53 from 33) as the home side, who were put in to bat, posted 209 for 4.Max Holden – having batted through the full 20 overs in compiling his maiden Blast century at Chelmsford two days earlier – lasted only four balls this time, scoring seven before Fred Klaassen took out his off stump.Martin Andersson, who helped Eskinazi to make steady progress in the Powerplay, looked strong off the back foot, punching Matt Milnes to the boundary twice in his 24 from 17 balls.Although Andersson departed lbw to Calum Haggett’s first delivery, the seamer struggled for consistency as Gubbins picked out gaps with precision and applied just enough power to beat the boundary fielders.It wasn’t until the 13th over that Middlesex recorded their first maximum of the innings when Eskinazi paddled Haggett into the Mound Stand – later unveiling an identical shot off Klaassen.The pair achieved Middlesex’s second-highest T20 partnership for any wicket against Kent, with Gubbins going on to complete his half-century before skying Klaassen into the hands of Crawley at long-on.Jordan Cox’s superb direct hit from the cover boundary denied Eskinazi a tilt at his hundred as he returned for a second run, but there was no danger of Middlesex’s momentum stalling during the last two overs.John Simpson slammed his first delivery for six, while some clinical hitting by Dan Lincoln, who thrashed an unbeaten 24 from just nine balls, lifted the home side above the 200 mark.Daniel Bell-Drummond gave Kent an electric start•Alex Davidson/Getty Images

However, Crawley and Bell-Drummond – who had hammered an unbeaten quickfire stand of 52 in Thursday’s aborted game against Hampshire – immediately savaged Middlesex’s bowlers for 85 during the Powerplay.Crawley blazed successive sixes off Miguel Cummins and glanced the former West Indies seamer for four to raise the 50 from just 20 deliveries, while Bell-Drummond dispatched Harris for two sixes and legspinner Nathan Sowter disappeared for 17 in his first over.Sowter finally broke the partnership when he returned after the Powerplay, persuading Crawley (31 from 19) to chip to Holden at deep midwicket, but the skipper maintained the pace, smiting Steven Finn back over his head for three fours.Bell-Drummond finally perished in the 10th over attempting a fourth, with substitute fielder Joe Cracknell juggling a catch in the deep, although Alex Blake seemed to keep the Spitfires on track.Good work by Andersson, stretching to bring down Blake’s drive just inside the rope, gave Middlesex hope and, when Cox holed out off Finn, the visitors still required 26 from 16 balls.However, Leaning clipped James Harris for six and Kent looked clear favourites going into the final over – but Helm followed the wicket of Stewart with three dot balls to deny them victory.”To take a point away from this, at the position we were in after 15 overs of their innings, we’d have taken it,” Finn said. “But on the flip side, had we done better in those first 15, we could have put that game to bed.”I feel it’s an opportunity missed after the way we batted. We were very happy with the momentum we had all the way through that innings – the way Eskinazi and Gubbins, then Lincoln and Simpson at the end, ran them ragged to get to a total that should have been too many for them.”We know with Tom Helm being the death bowler and with the skills he has, even if we have a single-figure score to defend in that last over, we’re confident of doing that.””We’re disappointed and it’s a tough one to take,” Bell-Drummond said. “It was a crazy game and, with my captain’s head on, there were so many positives – and a lot to work on. Myself and Zak started off nicely – if one of us could have been there at the end we would have won. I feel we still should have won but hard luck to the guys at the crease.”Helm, even though he struggled with his wides, actually bowled very well in between them and I think he showed his class in the last over.”